HED Stingers [60]. Anyone ppl/owners oppose?

[puma]

Been riding Ksyriums for the last three years, and they have been absolutely wonderful. But I've come down with the upgrade bug and have been looking for my first "aero" wheelset and havetaken a liking to the HED Stinger. I'm looking to get a 60 in the rear (can get it slightly cheaper than the 50s) and then something smaller for the front. Weight is not a priority but rather they're durability. I would like to use these as my eveyday wheels and assume they're relatively "bomb-proof" for carbon tubulars. Anyone think they're the wrong choice. My riding is 50/50 flats and climbs. I'm 155lbs, 6ft.

 

[artemidorus]

Been riding Ksyriums for the last three years, and they have been absolutely wonderful. But I've come down with the upgrade bug and have been looking for my first "aero" wheelset and havetaken a liking to the HED Stinger. I'm looking to get a 60 in the rear (can get it slightly cheaper than the 50s) and then something smaller for the front. Weight is not a priority but rather they're durability. I would like to use these as my eveyday wheels and assume they're relatively "bomb-proof" for carbon tubulars. Anyone think they're the wrong choice. My riding is 50/50 flats and climbs. I'm 155lbs, 6ft.

You want to use full-carbon tubular rims for everyday riding? I wouldn't.
Have a look at the HED Jet 50 clinchers - they'd be the HED wheel I'd consider for everyday riding.

 

[puma]

You want to use full-carbon tubular rims for everyday riding? I wouldn't.
Have a look at the HED Jet 50 clinchers - they'd be the HED wheel I'd consider for everyday riding.

Well, it's all relative, I know the jets are more durable, but how much more, would the stingers under my 150lbs be equivalent to the jets under a 200lb guy. And the 200lbs guy has has no issues with his set.

I just wanted to know if they could be everday wheels w/o too much maintenance, unlike some crazy carbon spoke race wheelset like lightweights. I got some insight at the HED site, may it possibly be bias:

"Either wheelset will stand up to hard training and racing, but I would give the edge to the Jet. On a 1-10 scale Jets are 10, equal to a hand built 32 hole traditional wheelset. Stingers would be a 9. I have commuted extensively and cyclocrossed on them without issue. Alps would rate about 8, they are stiff and strong, but need fairly regular attention to keep dead true."

 

[BikingBrian]

Are the braking surfaces alu or carbon>>>if they are carbon, are you willing to put up with the hassle of using different brake pads and having less braking power on a day-to-day basis (esp in the wet )?
As a race-day only wheel, it doesn't matter, but using them everyday is a different story.

 

[puma]

Are the braking surfaces alu or carbon>>>if they are carbon, are you willing to put up with the hassle of using different brake pads and having less braking power on a day-to-day basis (esp in the wet )?
As a race-day only wheel, it doesn't matter, but using them everyday is a different story.

I never go fast enough to need to brake...

Yeah that's is all a concern, how well will a carbon brake surface hold up over time and on long descents. But that's the answers I'm seeking. Certainly, there are all carbon tub/clinchers that ppl use as training wheels and find quite rideable/manageable, like the Reynolds and Cane Creeks. I guess we can speculate all we want, but either someone has used them everyday and had no issues, or had them for 3 days and they blew up after hitting a pot-hole. I might just have to bite the bullet and test for myself.

 

[rudycyclist]

If you are looking for a bombproof set of wheels, try to find a set of Bontrager carbon aero wheels (not the aeolus **** ones, they were previous to aeolus). I have crashed those several times and broke a front one time but is still useable for track racing. Our team has crashed these wheels so many times and they are always incredibly durable.

 

[alienator]

I rode Reynolds Stratus DV tubies as everyday wheels, and they were more than up to the task. In fact, those are wheels you should really consider. They're very durable.

I don't consider changing pads to be a pain in the ass. I bought an extra set of pad holders, so I just switched out the holders whenever I wanted to run my alloy wheels.

Braking in the rain? Braking goes down in the rain, but that's true for any rim. I rode and descended Colorado mountains with my Reynolds DVs in the rain, and it was no big deal. FWIW, some of the descents were in the 40-50mph range. If you're going to ride CF wheels with CF brake tracks, then do yourself a favor and buy yellow Swissstop pads. They are the top o' the pile in brake pads.

With the arrival of CF clinchers, a lot more folks are riding CF wheels as everyday wheels. Right now I'm riding LEW wheels every day.

I don't think you want a 60mm rim as an everyday tool. They'd be fairly sensitive to wind.

 

[JohnO]

A lot depends on where you ride. Most of my riding is on quiet, well maintained back roads that run near horse farms. Wouldn't do to haul a million dollar racehorse on a rough road. I rode my Zipp 404's in tubie pretty much all last summer, never had a problem. Never had a flat either, thank heavens. So if you ride on good roads, CF rims in tubie shouldn't be a problem, and they do ride so smoothly. Big change from K's, which I thought were a bit harsh riding. If you're riding in town, or on rough roads, you might want to think twice. Not that CF is that much more fragile than AL, just that the cost of a replacement rim is sinful.

Didn't noice any great drop in braking power, but I'm not making any four or five mile descents, so I really haven't put them to the test. Don't ride much in the rain, so I can't speak for that, either. With the 58mm rims, crosswinds would tend to bat you around a bit more, but it wasn't to the point where it might have been a safety concern.

I did have to true them once, mid summer. Not much of a wobble, but I take good care of those wheels.